Did the Sun really rise from the West?” Herodotus’ Testimony… and Records of a Possible Cosmic Catastrophe . Full story below

Herodotus, the earliest historian who visited Egypt and recorded what he saw and heard himself, reported something very strange from the Egyptian temple priests.
Herodotus’ Text (Key Point)
Herodotus – Histories – Book II, §142 (approximately)
“The priests of Egypt told me that the sun had risen from a different place four times,
it rose twice where it now sets, and set twice where it now rises.”
Literal translation of the meaning:
The priests claimed that the Sun’s path itself had changed in very ancient times, more than once.

Very important:
Herodotus is not giving his own opinion—he is relaying what the Egyptian priests told him.

Is this symbolic, or a description of a natural event?
Let’s approach it scientifically:
If the Sun “appeared” to rise from the West, it doesn’t mean the Sun actually moved, but it could indicate one of three possible scientific scenarios:

Axial Tilt Shift – a change in the tilt of Earth’s axis.
Crustal Displacement – a shift in the Earth’s crust.
Major disruption in Earth’s rotation or magnetic field.
These are not just fantasies—these hypotheses have been discussed scientifically.

Researchers supporting the idea of major Earth changes:
Charles Hapgood – The Path of the Pole
“Earth may have experienced sudden crustal shifts that dramatically altered geography and climate.”
Simple explanation: Earth could have experienced sudden movements in its crust, changing the shape of the planet and its climate.
The book’s preface was written by Albert Einstein (not necessarily full agreement, but he considered the idea scientifically plausible).
Plato – Timaeus
(Not about the Sun directly, but about periodic catastrophes)
“Many destructions of mankind have occurred… by fire and by water.”
Explanation: Plato suggests that civilizations experience periodic cosmic catastrophes, leaving only remnants behind. This aligns with the idea that Egyptians preserved records older than their own civilization.

James Evans – Historian of Science and Astronomy
In his studies on ancient astronomy:
Ancient civilizations recorded celestial phenomena accurately, even if they didn’t understand the physical cause.
Meaning, if a real cosmic disruption occurred, it would have been recorded.

Why Egyptians in particular?
They had the oldest astronomical calendar.
Their temples were astronomically aligned.
They recorded time in cycles, not years.
They claimed their civilization predated the kings themselves.
So it’s not surprising that they might inherit records of a much greater event.

Scientific conclusion (without exaggeration):
We are not claiming the Sun literally reversed direction, but we can say:
.There is a clear ancient testimony from Herodotus.
Modern scientific theories discuss possible major Earth changes.
There was a civilization (Egypt) that recorded the sky accurately.

And cosmic catastrophes have been confirmed in geological history.

If Egyptian priests said the Sun “appeared from the West,” and modern science allows for major Earth disruptions…
Could the ancient Egyptians be recording a real event in the language of their time, or are we still misunderstanding their ancient scientific language?

…
Sources (reliable and specific)
Herodotus – Histories, Book II
Plato – Timaeus
Charles Hapgood – The Path of the Pole
James Evans – The History and Practice of Ancient Astronomy